EXHIBIT 10.17
COMMERCIAL CAPITAL BANCORP, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
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This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of this _____
day of November, 2002, by and between Commercial Capital Bancorp, Inc., a Nevada
corporation (the "Company"), and _______________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty
in obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting officers and directors
to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage
of liability insurance has been severely limited;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other officers and
directors of the Company may not be willing to continue to serve as officers and
directors without additional protection; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of
highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and
directors of the Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to
provide them with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. Indemnification.
(a) (1) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify
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Indemnitee if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party
to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in
the right of the Company), by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, by reason of any action or
inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an officer or director or by reason of
the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is
approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such
action, suit or proceeding, provided Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, the Company had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct
was unlawful; and further provided, that with respect to any administrative
proceeding or civil action initiated by any federal banking agency, the Company
shall provide such
indemnification upon receipt by the Company of notice of request for
indemnification, but only after the Board of the Company determines, in writing,
after due investigation and consideration, without any involvement by the
Indemniteee, prior to and as a condition to any indemnification therefor, that
the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, that any
requested payment of indemnification will not materially adversely affect the
safety and soundness of either the Company or Commercial Capital Bank, FSB, that
such indemnification payment is consistent with safe and sound banking practice,
and that the payment of indemnification does not meet the definition of a
"prohibited indemnification payment" as defined in Section 1(a)(2) hereof, and
as may be further defined from time to time at 12 C.F.R. Section 359.1 (l) of
the regulations promulgated under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. The
termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement,
conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of
itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a
manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indemnitee shall have
no right to indemnification for expenses and the payment of profits arising from
the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor
statute.
(2) Notwithstanding Section(a)(1) hereof, the Company is
prohibited from indemnifying the Indemnitee for any "prohibited indemnification
payment," which for purposes of this Agreement, is the payment or reimbursement
of any civil money penalty or judgment resulting from any administrative or
civil action instituted by a federal banking agency, or any other liability or
legal expense with regard to any administrative proceeding or civil expense
instituted by a federal banking agency which results in a final order or
settlement pursuant to which the Indemnitee is assessed a civil money penalty;
is removed from office or prohibited from participating in the conduct of the
affairs of the Company or is required to cease and desist from or take any
affirmative action described in section 8(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation Act, with respect to the Company.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company
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shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the
fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an
officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit
if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and except that no
indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company, unless
and only to the extent that the appropriate court of the State of Nevada or the
court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances
of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses which the appropriate court of the State of Nevada or such other court
shall deem proper. Notwithstanding
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the foregoing, Indemnitee shall have no right to indemnification for expenses
and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of
securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, or any similar successor statute.
(c) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. To the extent that Indemnitee
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has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
proceeding, or the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein (other than an
administrative proceeding or civil action initiated by any federal banking
agency which shall be governed by Section 1(a)), Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) and any costs of settlement
(including amounts paid in settlement if such settlement is approved in advance
by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) actually and
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith.
2. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
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actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the
investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of any civil or criminal action,
suit or proceeding referenced in Section 1 (other than an administrative
proceeding or civil action initiated by any federal banking agency which shall
be governed by Section 1(a)). Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts
advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that
the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized
hereby. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to the
Indemnitee within twenty (20) days following delivery of a written request
therefor by the Indemnitee to the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a
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condition precedent to his right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give
the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made against
Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this
Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the Secretary of the
Company at the address shown on the signature page of this Agreement (or such
other address as the Company shall designate in writing to Indemnitee). Notice
shall be deemed received five (5) days after the date postmarked, if sent by
domestic certified or registered mail, properly addressed; otherwise when such
notice shall actually be received by the Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall
(i) give the Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably
require and as shall be within Indemnitee's power and (ii) upon request of the
Company testify at, or be deposed in connection with, any proceeding to
adjudicate or consider a Claim against Indemnitee for which indemnification will
or could be sought under this Agreement.
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
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Section 1 and this Section 2 shall be made no later than forty-five (45) days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's Articles
of Incorporation or By-laws providing for indemnification, is not paid in full
by the Company within forty-five (45) days after a written request for payment
thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee may, but need not, at
any time thereafter bring an action against the Company to recover the unpaid
amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, Indemnitee shall
also be entitled to be paid for the expenses
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(including attorneys' fees) of bringing such action. It shall be a defense to
any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses
incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding in advance of its
final disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which
make it permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee
for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the
Company, and Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim payments of
expenses pursuant to Subsection 2(a) unless and until such defense may be
finally adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of
appeal exists. It is the parties' intention that, if the Company contests
Indemnitee's right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee's right to
indemnification shall be for the court to decide, and neither the failure of the
Company (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its
shareholders) to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is
proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard
of conduct required by applicable law, nor an actual determination by the
Company (including its Board of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the
Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its shareholders) that
Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a
presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of
conduct.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice
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of a claim pursuant to Subsection 2(b) hereof, the Company has director and
officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of
the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable actions to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf
of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in
accordance with the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be
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obligated under Subsection 2(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding
against the Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume
the defense of such proceeding, with counsel approved by the Indemnitee, which
counsel may be counsel for the Company, upon the delivery to the Indemnitee of
written notice of its election so to do. After delivery of such notice, approval
of such counsel by the Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the
Company, the Company will not be liable to the Indemnitee under this Agreement
for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to
the same proceeding, provided that (i) the Indemnitee shall have the right to
employ his counsel in any such proceeding, at the Indemnitee's sole expense; and
(ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by the Indemnitee has been previously
authorized by the Company, (B) the Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and the Indemnitee
in the conduct of any such defense or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have
employed counsel to assume the defense of such proceeding, the fees and expenses
of Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.
3. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
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the Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically
authorized by the other provisions
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of this Agreement, the Company's Articles of Incorporation, the Company's
By-laws or by statute. In the event of any change, after the date of this
Agreement, in any applicable law, statute, or rule which expands the right of a
Nevada corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an
officer, such changes shall be, ipso facto, within the purview of Indemnitee's
rights and Company's obligations, under this Agreement. In the event of any
change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a
Nevada corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an
officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute
or rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have no effect on this Agreement
or the parties' rights and obligations hereunder.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
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shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which an Indemnitee may be
entitled under the Company's Articles of Incorporation, its By-laws, any
agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors, the General
Corporation Law of the State of Nevada, or otherwise, both as to action in
Indemnitee's official capacity and as to action in another capacity while
holding such office (each an "Indemnified Capacity"). The indemnification
provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action
taken or not taken while serving in an Indemnified Capacity even though he may
have ceased to serve in an Indemnified Capacity at the time of any action, suit
or other covered proceeding.
4. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
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provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the expenses, judgments, fines or penalties actually and reasonably
incurred by him in the investigation, defense, appeal or settlement of any civil
or criminal action, suit or proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount
thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of
such expenses, judgments, fines or penalties to which Indemnitee is entitled.
5. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
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that in certain instances, Federal law or public policy may override Nevada law
and prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this
Agreement or otherwise. For example, the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has taken the position that
indemnification is not permissible for liabilities arising under certain federal
securities laws, federal legislation prohibits indemnification for certain
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA")
violations, and the Company, as the holding company for a national bank, is
subject to the prohibitions and limitations on indemnification set forth in the
federal banking laws including, without limitation, Sections 8(k) and 18(k), of
the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may
be required in the future to undertake with its applicable regulatory bodies to
submit a question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a
determination of the Company's right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee
and agrees that he will be bound by the findings of such court.
6. Officer and Director Liability Insurance. The Company shall, from
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time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable
for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with
reputable insurance companies providing the officers and directors of the
Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure
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the Company's performance of its indemnification obligations under this
Agreement. Among other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of
obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such
coverage. In all policies of director and officer liability insurance, the
Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide the
Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably
insured of the Company's directors, if the Indemnitee is a director; or of the
Company's officers, if the Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an
officer; or of the Company's key employees, if the Indemnitee is not an officer
or director but is a key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company
shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company
determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, the
premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage
provided, the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as
to provide an insufficient benefit, or if the Indemnitee is covered by similar
insurance maintained by a subsidiary of the Company.
7. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or
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shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in
violation of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court order,
to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of
this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable as provided
in this Section 7. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall be invalidated
on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by any applicable
portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated, and the balance
of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
8. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary
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notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance
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expenses to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or
brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect
to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under
Section 78.7502(3) of the Nevada General Corporation Law, but such
indemnification or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in
specific cases if the Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate; or
(b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses
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incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by the
Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be
obligated to indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of any type
whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes
or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which have been paid directly to
Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy of officers' and directors'
liability insurance maintained by the Company.
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9. Construction of Certain Phrases.
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(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company"
shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees
or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or
agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of
such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this
Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee
would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate
existence had continued.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company
which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer,
employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or
beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of an employee benefit plan Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner
"not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as referred to in this
Agreement.
10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
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counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
11. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
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Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
12. Attorneys' Fees. In the event that any action is instituted by
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Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee with
respect to such action, unless as a part of such action, the court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee
as a basis for such action were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the
event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this
Agreement or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including
with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross-claims made in such
action), unless as a part of such action the court determines that each of
Indemnitee's material defenses to such action were made in bad faith or were
frivolous.
13. Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications
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under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and receipted for by the party addressee or (ii) if mailed by
certified or registered mail with postage
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prepaid, on the third business day after the mailing date. Addresses for notice
to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement, or as
subsequently modified by written notice.
14. Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its
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provisions construed in accordance with the federal laws of the United States
with respect to federal banking law and in accordance with the laws of the State
of Nevada for all other matters, including as applied to contracts between
Nevada residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Nevada.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.
COMMERCIAL CAPITAL BANCORP, INC.
By:
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Name:
Title:
Address: One Venture, 3rd Floor
Irvine, California 92618
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
INDEMNITEE:
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Name:
Address:
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